Phlox plant named ‘Dophlosprisopi’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Phlox  plant named ‘Dophlosprisopi’, characterized by its outwardly spreading to creeping and mounding plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely flowering habit; large light purplish pink-colored flowers with deep reddish purple-colored centers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Phlox subulata.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DOPHLOSPRISOPI’.

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY INVENTOR & APPLICANT/ASSIGNEE

An European Community Plant Breeder's Rights application for the instantplant was filed by the Applicant/Assignee, Dümmen Group B.V. of De Lier,The Netherlands on Aug. 12, 2020, application number 2020/1894. Foreignpriority is not claimed to this application.

The Inventor and Applicant/Assignee assert that no publications noradvertisements relating to sales, offers for sale or public distributionoccurred more than one year prior to the effective filing date of thisapplication. Any information about the claimed plant would have beenobtained from a direct or indirect disclosure from the Inventor and/orApplicant/Assignee. Inventor and Applicant/Assignee claim a prior artexemption under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) for disclosure and/or sales prior tothe filing date but less than one year prior to the effective filingdate.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Phloxplant, botanically known as Phlox subulata and hereinafter referred toby the name ‘Dophlosprisopi’.

The new Phlox plant is a product of a planned breeding program conductedby the Inventor in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands. The objective of thebreeding program was to create new freely-flowering Phlox plants withlarge attractive flowers.

The new Phlox plant originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in April, 2013 in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands, of a proprietaryselection of Phlox subulata identified as code number SB07-000252-004,not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietaryselection of Phlox subulata identified as code number SB09-000013-010,not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Phlox plant wasdiscovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant fromwithin the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlledenvironment in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands in April, 2014.

Asexual reproduction of the new Phlox plant by vegetative cuttings in acontrolled environment in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands since June, 2014 hasshown that the unique features of this new Phlox plant are stable andreproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Phlox have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variancein genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Dophlosprisopi’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Dophlosprisopi’ as a new and distinct Phloxplant:

-   -   1. Outwardly spreading to creeping and mounding plant habit.    -   2. Vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely flowering habit.    -   4. Large light purplish pink-colored flowers with deep reddish        purple-colored centers.    -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Phlox differ primarily from plants of the femaleparent selection in flower color as plants of the new Phlox have lightpurplish pink-colored flowers with deep reddish purple-colored centerswhereas plants of the female parent selection have dark pink-coloredflowers.

Plants of the new Phlox differ primarily from plants of the male parentselection in plant and flowering habit as plants of the new Phlox aremore uniform and more freely flowering than plants of the male parentselection.

Plants of the new Phlox can be compared to plants of Phlox subulata‘Emerald Cushion Blue’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons,plants of the new Phlox and ‘Emerald Cushion Blue’ differ in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Phlox flower earlier than plants of        ‘Emerald Cushion Blue’.    -   2. Plants of the new Phlox and ‘Emerald Cushion Blue’ differ in        flower color as plants of the new Phlox have light purplish        pink-colored flowers with deep reddish purple-colored centers        whereas plants of ‘Emerald Cushion Blue’ have light blue-colored        flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new Phlox plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Phlox plant. The photograph comprises a side perspective view oftypical flowering plant of ‘Dophlosprisopi’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown during the late winter and early springin 17-cm containers initially in a glass-covered greenhouse and finishedin an outdoor nursery in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands and under culturalpractices typical of commercial Phlox production. During the productionof the plants, day temperatures averaged 21° C. and night temperaturesaveraged 15° C. Plants were pinched one time two weeks after plantingrooted young plants and plants were 43 weeks old when the photograph andthe description were taken. In the following description, colorreferences are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart,Second Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionarysignificance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Phlox subulata ‘Dophlosprisopi’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Phlox            subulata identified as code number SB07-000252-004, not            patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Phlox            subulata identified as code number SB09-000013-010, not            patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 16 days at            temperatures about 26° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About three weeks at            temperatures about 23° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 24 days            at temperatures about 23° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four            weeks at temperatures about 18° C.        -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; typically            white to light yellow in color, actual color of the roots is            dependent on substrate composition, water quality,            fertilizer type and formulation, substrate temperature and            physiological age of roots.        -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; medium density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial typically grown            as a container and garden plant; outwardly spreading to            creeping and mounding plant habit; vigorous growth habit and            relatively slow growth rate.        -   Plant height.—About 13 cm.        -   Plant width (spread).—About 35 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Branching habit: Freely branching habit            with numerous primary and secondary lateral branches            developing per plant. Length: About 15 cm. Internode length:            About 3 mm. Strength: Strong. Aspect: About 70° from            vertical to horizontal. Texture and luster: Pubescent;            semi-glossy. Color: Close to 145B; with development,            becoming close to 199C.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, decussate; simple; sessile.        -   Length.—About 1.3 cm.        -   Width.—About 2 mm.        -   Shape.—Lanceolate.        -   Apex.—Acuminate.        -   Base.—Cuneate.        -   Margin.—Entire, slightly ciliate.        -   Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth,            glabrous; glossy.        -   Venation pattern.—Hyphodromous.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 141B.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 141D. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 141A; venation,            close to 141A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close            to 141D; venation, close to 141D.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single rotate and            salverform flowers arranged in terminal and lateral            panicles; flowers face mostly upright to outwardly depending            on position on inflorescence; freely flowering habit with            about eleven open flowers per inflorescence and about 650            flowers developing per plant during the flowering season.        -   Fragrance.—Not detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about 35            weeks after planting; plants flower in April and May in the            garden in The Netherlands; flowers persistent.        -   Flower buds.—Height: About 1.5 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.            Shape: Elliptical. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous;            matte. Color: Close to 64A.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 13 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 12.5 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—About 2.2 cm.        -   Flower depth.—About 1.5 cm.        -   Flower throat diameter.—About 3 mm.        -   Flower tube length.—About 6 mm.        -   Flower diameter, proximally.—About 3 mm.        -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single            whorl; petals fused at the base into a narrow tube. Lobe            length: About 1.1 cm. Lobe width: About 1 cm. Lobe shape:            Obcordate. Lobe apex: Emarginate. Lobe margin: Entire;            slightly undulate. Lobe texture and luster, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; semi-glossy. Throat texture and            luster: Smooth, glabrous; semi-glossy. Tube texture and            luster: Smooth, glabrous; semi-glossy. Color: When opening,            upper surface: Close to 65C; towards the apex, close to 65A            and towards the throat, close to 77A. When opening, lower            surface: Close to 65D; towards the apex, close to 65B. Fully            opened, upper surface: Close to 65B; towards the throat,            close to 77A; venation, close to 65B; color becoming closer            to 65D with development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close            to 65B; venation, close to 65B; color becoming closer to 65D            with development. Throat: Close to 65C; venation, close to            64C. Tube: Close to 64C; venation, close to 64C.        -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single            whorl, fused towards the base; calyx, tubular in shape.            Length: About 7 mm. Width: About 1 mm. Shape: Narrowly            deltoid, subulate. Apex: Acuminate. Margin: Entire. Texture            and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent;            semi-glossy. Color: When opening and fully opened, upper            surface: Close to 143C. When opening and fully opened, lower            surface: Close to 143C.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2.5 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Strength: Strong. Aspect: About 45° from lateral branch            axis. Texture and luster: Pubescent; semi-glossy. Color:            Close to 145A.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 7 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm.            Strength: Moderately strong. Aspect: About 10° from peduncle            axis. Texture and luster: Pubescent; semi-glossy. Color:            Close to 145A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically            five. Filament length: About 1 mm. Filament color: Close to            145C. Anther size: About 1 mm by 0.5 mm. Anther shape:            Elliptical. Anther color: Close to 12A. Pollen amount:            Abundant. Pollen color: Close to 21A. Pistils: Quantity per            flower: One. Pistil length: About 9 mm. Stigma diameter:            About 1 mm. Stigma shape: Cleft, three-parted. Stigma color:            Close to 149B. Style length: About 6 mm. Style color: Close            to 150D. Ovary color: Close to 143A.        -   Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit development have            not been observed on plants of the new Phlox.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Phlox have been observed to    have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind,    temperatures ranging from −35° C. to 35° C. and to be suitable for    USDA Hardiness Zone 3.-   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Phlox have    not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Phlox plants.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Phlox plant named ‘Dophlosprisopi’ as illustrated and described. 